1Just like snow in summer, or untimely rain in harvest season, honor for a fool is not fitting. 2Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an underserved curse will not on its unintended victim. 3A bridle for the horse, a whip the donkey, and a rod for the fool's back. 4Do not respond to a fool according to his folly, or you risk being as foolish as he. 5Answer a fool as his foolishness deserves, or he will think of himself as wise. 6Sending a message in the hand of a fool is like cutting off your feet, and drinking poison! 7As effective as the legs of the lame is a proverb in the mouth of fools. 8Giving honor to a fool is as dumb as tying a stone securely in a slingshot. 9A parable in the mouth of fools is like a thorny branch brandished by a drunk. 10An employer who hires a fool or idle bystander is like an archer who randomly shoots people. 11As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to his folly. 12Do you see a man who is wise in his own estimation? There is more hope for a fool than for him. 13The sluggard says, “There is a lion in the road; a lion is in the streets.” 14As the door turns on its hinges, so does the slacker turn upon his bed. 15The slothful buries his hand in his dish; and is too lazy to raise it again to his mouth. 16The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can offer sound reasoning. 17The passerby that meddles in a dispute that does not concern him, is like one that grabs a stray dog by the ears; 18Like a mad man randomly shooting flaming arrows, or a deadly weapon, 19So is the man that lies to his neighbor, and then says, “I was only kidding.” 20Without fuel, the fire goes out; so where there is no gossip, the conflict ends. 21As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for starting fights. 22The words of a gossip are like wounds, and they sink deep into a person. 23Smooth words that disguise wicked intent are like a pretty glaze on a clay pot. 24An evil person may hide his hatred behind pleasant words, but they are designed to deceive you. 25Though he speaks pleasantly, do not believe him; for there are seven abominations in his heart. 26His malice may be concealed in deceit, but it shall be exposed before the whole congregation. 27Whoever digs a pit to trap the unsuspecting shall fall in it themselves; and he that rolls a stone will have it roll back upon him. 28A lying tongue hates those that it harms, and flattering words often cause mischief.